Yesterday, race leader Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis) survived the first attacks on his yellow jersey. While we watched the favourites, and the favourites watched each other, Mikel Astarloza (Euskaltel) sprinted away from his breakaway companions for a a fabulous stage victory. The stage to Le Grand Bornand also claimed some big-name casualties, among them Andreas Klöden (Astana). For all who struggled yesterday, today would be even worse.
We could expect a proper sort-out among the favourites[IMG-r]https://i884.photobucket.com/albums/ac43/christian_gr/tour07/rasmussen1.jpg[/IMG-r] and, as we have the past two years, we could also expect to see the size-zero lycra shorts of Michael Rasmussen up at the front of the race. He's been alone on the final climb once in each of his past two Tours, taking great stage wins at Mulhouse and La Toussuire on his way to the King of the Mountains title. Yesterday, he made sure to grab the remaining points behind the breakaway on top of the Col de la Colombière. He's a fabulous climber, and as of today, he was in his element.
"If I can repeat what I did the two previous years, I'll be more than happy" he said before the Tour de France.
The stage began with another assault on the King of the Mountains jersey. Iban Mayo (Saunier Duval), who was outsprinted for the stage win in the breakaway yesterday, decided that he was better off having no-one there to outsprint him. The Basque set off on a solo journey across the Alps, starting on the Cormet de Roselend.
Iban Mayo (Saunier Duval) all alone at the top of the Cormet de Roselend.
Alberto Contador (Discovery) attacked with 12 kilometres left to the top of the final climb!
Following Levi Leipheimer's time loss yesterday, the impressive Alberto Contador has emerged as a possible new leader of the Discovery team. And now he was off the front!
He might have been showing some inexperience though, as he was brought back soon after that initial burst of speed. But his attack forced a serious selection, and the race leader went out the back!
Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis) struggling on the ascent to Tignes. His tenure in the yellow jersey would only last for a few more kilometres.
With Alberto Contador brought back into the fold, Denmark's Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank) moved off the front. Having just chased down Contador, the favourites were prepared to let the Dane get an advantage. With Chavanel gone, Vinokourov looked poised to inherit the yellow jersey.
Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank) on the move in his favourite terrain.
While all this was going on in the main group, Iban Mayo was soldiering on up ahead. The pure climber proved to have great legs today, and kept the favourites at bay despite the gap diminishing. The group behind him was becoming very select though.
No Andreas Klöden among the climbers chasing behind Iban Mayo and Michael Rasmussen! Those present in the favourite group were Alberto Contador (Discovery), Carlos Sastre (Team CSC), Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne), Christophe Moreau (Ag2r), Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana), Kim Kirchen (T-Mobile) and Cadel Evans (Predictor - Lotto).
Iban Mayo (Saunier Duval) started to realize he was on course for a sensational stage win as he crossed the top of the final climb. Only a couple of flat kilometers lay between him and the victory!
Mayo maxing out the points at the summit.
The favourite group swelled slightly at the top with the inclusion of Levi Leipheimer (Discovery), Andrej Kashechkin (Astana) and Haimar Zubeldia (Euskaltel). Rasmussen was still between Mayo and the favourites, and the Dane was actually heading for the yellow jersey! But Alberto Contador wanted to have a say in that matter.
Discovery's climbing talent Alberto Contador accelerating over the top of the final climb! Carlos Sastre (Team CSC) tries to keep up.
Nobody could do anything about Iban Mayo though. The climber won the stage in spectacular fashion! His stage win in the Giro d'Italia in May was indeed a sign of a resurgence in form for the Basque. If he continues like this, he must be taken seriously for the overall classification.
The old Iban Mayo is back!
Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank) ate into Mayo's gap in the last kilometres, and finished 49 seconds behind the stage winner. It was the rider attacking out of the favourite group to take 3rd on the stage who really benefitted though: Alberto Contador takes the yellow jersey!
Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank) crosses the line with Contador (Discovery) not far behind.
The rest of the favourites were scattered in small groups behind Contador. Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) wasn't too convincing in 5th, while Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) was even worse off in 7th. None of them lost much time though. The real time gaps had started to open by the time the other pre-race favourite, Andreas Klöden, finished.
So, apart from Iban Mayo's supberb comeback at the[IMG-r]https://i884.photobucket.com/albums/ac43/christian_gr/tour07/8-11-1.png[/IMG-r] big scene, the most surprising result of today's happenings is at the top of the general classification: Alberto Contador (Discovery) in yellow! Many had mentioned the winner of this year's Paris - Nice as one to watch before the Tour de France started, but none had expected him to out-perform all the big names already. But the future has a habit of arriving early at the Tour...
Today's winner Iban Mayo (Saunier Duval) forcing his way up the final climb to Tignes.
The Astana team hasn't lived up to the expectations so far. Andreas Klöden once again lost time, while Andrey Kashechkin had to dig deep to stay with the first group.
Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis) sees his chances of keeping yellow disappear in the distance on the way up to Tignes.
Andrey Kashechkin (Astana) and Levi Leipheimer (Discovery) at the back of the group of favourites at the top of the last climb. Both lost time yesterday, but seemed to go slightly better today.
Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank) went out on the offensive to grab more mountain points. His performance nearly put him in the yellow jersey, but the Dane missed out to Contador by nine seconds.
On the flat part just before the finishing line, Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) took a few seconds out of the other favourites.
A good day at the office for Carlos Sastre (Team CSC). The Spaniard couldn't quite match the acceleration of Alberto Contador (Discovery), but finished strongly in 4th.
The big pre-race favourite Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) probably wished for a better result today. The Kazakh is only 31 seconds away from the race lead though.
Andreas Klöden (Astana) finishing with Fränk Schleck (Team CSC). Schleck paid the price for his exploits in the breakaway yesterday.
Chavanel's last moments in the yellow jersey. It'll be hard for him to get it back now.
The new kid on the block: Alberto Contador (Discovery) resplendent in yellow.
Finally we got a wearer of the King of the Mountains jersey who thoroughly deserves the title.
Ian Butler wrote:
Nice work by Chavanel, looks like Voeckler in TDF 2011
Well, not quite, it turned out But he was very impressive to Le Grand Bornand.
valverde321:
I was going to ask where Mayo was after last stage! I like to see him win......
The GC battle is really intensifying.
Lukily there's been some cool winners recently. And the GC battle is becoming really good, I think. The climbers have a slight advantage, but the TT guys are lurking just behind.
1st rest day [IMG-r]https://i884.photobucket.com/albums/ac43/christian_gr/tour07/tignes.jpg[/IMG-r]
Tignes
Monday 16 July
The first week of the 2007 Tour de France has come to an end, and while the riders relax at the ski resort of Tignes, where yesterday's stage finish was held, we take a look at where the race stands at the moment.
Alberto Contador
Leading the race after his late attack yesterday, is [IMG-r]https://i884.photobucket.com/albums/ac43/christian_gr/tour07/contador.jpg[/IMG-r]Discovery's young Spanish climber Alberto Contador. The talented youngster was a revelation on the road to Tignes, comfortably beating all the names fancied for overall victory. The fact that he's now leading the Tour de France, begs the question: Can he win it?
The 24-year-old has already won several races this year, including Paris-Nice. Apart from being a gifted climber, he can ride very respectably against the clock too. In 1991, Contador's compatriot Miguel Indurain also devoured the spring-time stage race from Paris to Nice. That summer he went on to win his first Tour de France. Maybe Alberto Contador is about to break into the superstar-class?
Positives
Iban Mayo
Apart from Contador, the biggest positive surprise of the[IMG-r]https://i884.photobucket.com/albums/ac43/christian_gr/tour07/mayo1.jpg[/IMG-r] Alps so far has been Saunier Duval's Iban Mayo. A 2nd place on the stage to Le Grand Bornand was followed up by a daring sole escape that gave him both the stage win and the King of the Mountains jersey at yesterday's mountaintop finish in Tignes. If he continues at this rate, Mayo may be an outsider for the top spot in Paris in two weeks' time.
Robert Hunter
Riding for the small wildcard team Barloworld, the South African has made a big impact in the sprints over the first week. Hunter won the second stage, and sits pretty in green at the moment after sneaking away with 6 points in an intermediate sprint in the mountainous stage seven.
Levi Leipheimer
The leader of the Discovery team suffered on the road to Le Grand Bornand on stage 7, and has been completely overshadowed by the performance of his young teammate Alberto Contador. A small improvement yesterday up to Tignes was very welcome for Leipheimer, who was seen as a candidate for the podium in Paris before the Tour.
Tom Boonen's leadout
Okay, Tom Boonen (Quickstep - Innergetic) has won a stage and come 2nd in another, much because of the brilliant work by leadout man Gert Steegmans. But apart from those two stages, the Belgian superstar has been completely mis-positioned. If he wants the green jersey, Boonen needs to get his team to function on a regular basis.
Watch out for ...!
There are several riders who haven't shown their cards much yet. What about Cadel Evans, lurking in 7th place, and possessing a strong TT? Then there is Carlos Sastre, who quietly moved up to 5th overall with a strong finish to Tignes.
Looking forward to the first TT, I think we'll see some serious gaps created there and then that should spark some of the weaker TT riders to react in the mountains.
Some very interesting mountain stages so far. The GC battle is shaping up to be great
And a very nice review on the rest day. Although when reading "Positives" and "Iban Mayo" right below it, I thought "wow is this story going to be that realistic?"
lluuiiggii wrote:
And a very nice review on the rest day. Although when reading "Positives" and "Iban Mayo" right below it, I thought "wow is this story going to be that realistic?"
+1
But yeah. seriously, this is an AMAZING read! I normally prefer to write than read stories personally, but I actually find myself looking forward to your next report!
Geezar10 wrote:
Looking forward to the first TT, I think we'll see some serious gaps created there and then that should spark some of the weaker TT riders to react in the mountains.
The TT will indeed be very interesting. There's an Alpine stage left though, albeit one where I expect the main favourites to finish together.
lluuiiggii wrote:
And a very nice review on the rest day. Although when reading "Positives" and "Iban Mayo" right below it, I thought "wow is this story going to be that realistic?"
Haha, perhaps a bit unfortunate with my choice of words there
I hope the race turns out as well as these reports.
But he was very impressive to Le Grand Bornand.
